The present invention relates to the field of decorative objects and in particular to decorative objects where the decorative effect is obtained by passing light through a wooden veneer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,154 to Carel, et al. issued Sep. 14, 1999 describes a lighted planter includes a lighting assembly removably supported on the upper rim of a planter box. The planter box of the Carel, et al. patent describes a lighting assembly provides nested inner and outer frames, separated by an array of stained glass panels, defining a channel containing a wrap-around lighting element.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,836 naming Murai as the inventor issued Mar. 28, 2000. The Murai patent disclosed a veneer which has the cross grain (such as wavy grain and interlocked grain) artificially formed on the surface of straight-grained veneer cut by quarter sawing the wooden.
Wurz, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,657 issued Nov. 23, 1999 describes a trim strip which has a bar of an at least partially transparent plastic having parallel inner and outer faces, an opaque decor layer laminated to the inner face, and a layer of adhesive on the opaque decor layer. The trim strip of Wurz, et al. is adhered to a board edge with the decor layer against the board edge and the outer face directed away therefrom, and edges of the trim strip at the outer face are machined with removal of material so that the decor layer is left exposed through the bar at the machined edges.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,236 to Schneider issued May 23, 2000 recites a framing system for mounting photographs, artwork, documents, etc. on a wall includes a molding strip and an envelope having a clear front panel, with the envelope slidably engageable into the molding strip. The molding strip of Schneider includes a slot, and the envelope includes an upper edge having a configuration matching the slot.
Moffatt, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,918 issued Feb. 10, 1987 discloses a free-standing collapsible panoramic theatre is described. When assembled, the theatre includes a multiplicity viewing region. U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,239 issued to Davis, et al. Jan. 25, 1977 shows a decorative laminated panel and a process for making such a panel comprising (1) coating the back most flat surface of a laminate with a uniform layer of a solution of an elastomeric adhesive and removing excess solvent, (2) coating one face of a compressible, flexible, closed; cell polypropylene plastic foam sheet with a solution of an elastomeric adhesive and removing solvent, (3) superimposing the decorative laminate over said polypropylene plastic foam sheet with the adhesively coated side of the laminate facing the adhesively coated side of the polypropylene foam, (4) applying pressure to the flat surface of the laminate and plastic foam so as to form a unitary panel. To bond said decorative laminated panel of the Davis et al., patent to a substrate it is suggested that one can apply an elastomeric adhesive to the back of the panel and to a rigid substrate and install the panel by pressing against the rigid substrate to which the panel is to be attached.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,761 issued Jul. 11, 1995 to Holztrager recites a process for making a decorative panel uses a backboard made of polycarbonate plastic material having a pair of substantially parallel spaced apart walls secured by a plurality of parallel spaced apart ribs disposed between the walls. A decorative laminate is glued to the backboard. U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,952 to Watras issued on Jan. 11, 1994 describes the method of making a decorative cracked glass laminate in tile, panel, sheet, plate, veneer or in situ form. The decorative cracked glass laminate of Watras comprises three layers laminated together, an inner backing layer, a substantially light-transparent outer layer, and a decoratively cracked glass intermediate layer sandwiched between the inner and outer layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,592 issued to Ueda et al., Nov. 12, 1991 recites a process of producing a surface hardened woodeny decorative sheet by reacting a cellulose material such as a wooden flour, a wooden chip, a chaff, etc., with a dibasic acid anhydride and a monoepoxy compound having a polymerizable double bond to form a setting composition mainly composed of an oligoesterified cellulose material having a polymerizable double bond and an oligomer having a polymerizable double bond, placing in layer the setting composition on a woodeny sheet, and hot-pressing them to integrate the setting composition and the woodeny sheet in a body.
Throughout the specification and claims, percentages and ratios are by weight, and temperatures are in degrees Celsius unless otherwise indicated. To the extent that any of the references cited herein are applicable, they are hereby specifically incorporated by reference. Ranges and ratios given herein may be combined.
The present invention describes a decorative object comprising:
a first sheet of wooden veneer having a plurality of surfaces,
said sheet of wooden veneer having a wooden grain pattern on at least one
surface thereof,
a sheet of a transparent material having a plurality of surfaces,
an adhesive material disposed between a surface of said sheet of wooden veneer and a surface of said sheet of a transparent material,
said adhesive material contacting said surface of said sheet of wooden veneer and said surface of said sheet of transparent material.
A further aspect of the present invention is a decorative object comprising:
a first sheet of wooden veneer having a plurality of surfaces,
said sheet of wooden veneer having a wooden grain pattern on at least one surface thereof,
a sheet of a transparent material having a plurality of surfaces,
an adhesive material disposed between a surface of said sheet of wooden veneer and a surface of said sheet of a transparent material,
said adhesive material contacting said surface of said sheet of wooden veneer and said surface of said sheet of transparent material, and
a lighting source provided further that said transparent material is disposed between said sheet of wooden veneer and said lighting source.